haunted asylums in ballarat

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Haunted places in Ballarat

Eastern station hotel: haunted hotel in ballarat, australia.

Ballarat is a historic Australian town that was once consumed by a gold rush. It is a place many people from different walks of life have visited. For this reason, one of the oldest hotels in town has seen many people pass through its doors. The Eastern Station Hotel was established in 1862 and has had a long and impactful history. Some of this history has dark elements and there are rumored to be more […]

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Ballarat (Asylum 1877-1879; 1893-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1969; Lakeside Hospital 1969-1996)

Full description.

Data time period: [1877 TO 1996]

Related Data

• Collector of VPRS 17799 Admission Register of Patients
• Collector of VPRS 17800 Admission Register of Patients: Voluntary Boarders
• Collector of VPRS 17801 Nominal Register: Voluntary Boarders
• Collector of VPRS 17803 Admission Register of Patients: Voluntary Boarders (Novar Receiving House)
• Collector of VPRS 17804 Nominal Register: Voluntary Boarders (Novar Receiving House)
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Lakeside Hospital

• Auspice: Hospitals for the Insane Branch 1867–1905; Lunacy Department (in Chief Secretary's Department) 1905–34; Department of Mental Hygiene (in Chief Secretary's Department) 1937–44 Department of Health 1944–52; Mental Hygiene Authority 1952–62; Mental Health Authority 1962–78; Department of Health II 1985–92; Department of Health and Community Services 1992–96; Department of Human Services 1996–2010
• Name:Ballarat Asylum, Ballarat Hospital for the Insane, Ballarat Mental Hospital, Lakeside Mental Hospital, Ballarat
• Address: Gillies St, Wendoree, Ballarat (1877–1990)

Ballarat (Asylum 1877-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-34; Mental Hospital 1935-68); Lakeside Hospital 1969-96 - History in brief

In 1877, Lakeside Hospital first opened. In 1879, the site reverted to its original use as an Industrial School, reopening in 1893 as the Ballarat Asylum to help relieve overcrowding in metropolitan asylums.

The Ballarat Asylum specialised in the care of epileptics, opening three large wards in 1902 with 100 beds each. The number of patients rose rapidly and further wards were opened in 1912, with the facility renamed the Ballarat Hospital for the Insane.

In 1912, the Ballarat Receiving House in Dana Street commenced as a Western Victorian early treatment unit. As a result, the Ballarat Hospital for the Insane only admitted long-term chronic or acutely mentally ill patients.

Between 1952 and 1969, the Ballarat Mental Hospital (as it was now called) changed significantly as a result of changes in psychiatry in Victoria. In particular, Ballarat embraced the new open door policy encouraging most wards to operate without locked doors, to better integrate men and women and engage patients in a high degree of activity. Old wards were renovated, new wards were constructed, and psychiatric nurses were better educated.

Ballarat Mental Hospital continued to extend and adapt its services, and in 1959 patient numbers peaked at 1100. In the early to late 1950s, both Novar and Norwood were purchased as Receiving Houses.

Novar offered outpatient services, day centre services, and assessment of people for independent or supervised living in the early treatment in-patient facility. By the late 1980s, Novar had ceased operating.

Norwood was also an out-patient facility and, significantly, a child guidance centre.

In 1968, at the opening of two new buildings on the site, it was announced that the Ballarat Mental Hospital would be renamed Lakeside Hospital. In 1969, the Ballarat Psychiatric Hospital (the successor to Ballarat Receiving House in Dana Street) closed. Parklands Clinic opened in its place in the Lakeside Hospital grounds.

Lakeside Hospital was decommissioned in 1996.

Today, Grampians Psychiatric Services External Link offers access to an integrated range of services to people and carers in the Grampians Region.

Warning about distressing information

This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.

Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history.

See Find & Connect for more detail on the history of child welfare in Australia External Link

Department of Health and Human Services administrative files and collated histories.

Download Lakeside Hospital collection guide

• Lakeside Hospital Collection Guide doc 316 KB

Reviewed 19 July 2017

Related links

• Ararat Asylum, 1867–1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905–34; Mental Hospital 1934–97; Training Centre 1966–93

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Lakeside Mental Asylum

Hello Everyone I am going to tell everyone about Lakeside Mental Asylum in Ballarat Victoria Australia.

The History:

The Ballarat Industrial School or Reformatory    buliding in Gillies Street was frist used as a home for the mentally ill in 1877. It was the same double-story brick buliding which

reopened on the existing site in 1893 as the Ballarat Asylum.

The Frist Patient from the Ararat Asylum was received that year in May. A few mounths and more patients were sent to the Asylum from Kew, Yarra Bend and Ararat. By the end of May 1894 it had housed over 211 patients which were 125 males and 86 females patients.

In 1969 it was renamed as the Lakeside Mental Asylum because it was a short walk thro the Botanic Gardens to the foreshore of Lake Wendouree.

In the 1990s the Hospital lands were subdivided for a housing state known as the Lake Gardens. The Original Main Buliding still exists in the centre of the development.

Since then most of the buliding was demolished or still standing.

How is it Haunted:

- A manly figure has been seen at the foreshore of the Lake. He had drowned him self to death because he could not handle his mental health.

-Another Man has been seen with a bloody face hacked to pieces. Story behind this is there was two mates or immates who had a fight using two pick axes to see who was strong. He has been seen at the enterance the Botanic Gardens.

I know a family member was put into this Mental Asylum due to suicide thoughts. Another thing is My dad and a family friend has walked into the Asylum when it was Open. Sadly it os closed down for good.

Thank you Everyone for reading about the Lakeside Mental Asylum in Ballarat Victoria.

I didn't find any pictures of the inside of the Asylum but there are some Outside pictures.

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Comments (2).

I had ancestors in this hospital and I find the fact that people think it is haunted and enjoy the gruesomeness of the very sad lives that were forced to live here extremely distasteful. People suffering from mental disorders are still people. They have thoughts and feelings just like you and I. This thing you do with scary paranormal bs in mental hospitals is not helping those that suffer today any more than it did all those years ago. And I know of plenty of instances where "normal" people have done some pretty horrendous inhumane things in their lives. Please think before you use the mentally different for your "entertainment".

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BALLARAT BENEVOLENT ASYLUM in Ascot Street is now known as the Queen Elizabeth Centre. Records are available and enquiries should be made to Ballarat Health Services. Originating in 1857 the forerunner of the Ballarat Benevolent Home was a charitable association to help the sick and needy. Completed in 1859 the first building provided accommodation for 80 inmates. Also accepted were orphaned children until 1868 when an institution was built especially for them. Ballarat historian Nathan Spielvogel tells us that many hundreds of babies were born there to girls 'who had loved not too wisely' and that they were tended by a kind hearted matron.

Ballarat Benevolent Asylum Registers of Inmates

1860-1915 (missing 1912-13) Registers of Inmates - Lying-In Wards 1892- 1922 (missing 1917-1920) Registers of Inmates Insane Hospital 1910-1928 Registers of Inmates Maternity Wards 1922-1925 Registers of Inmates Old Age Pensioners 1911-1921 Various assorted miscellaneous registers and register summaries

The transcription of the inmate registers is an ongoing project by Brett Weinberg, volunteer Historical Records Archivist at Ballarat Health Services. Page hosted by the Ballarat Historical Society.

Institutions Without Walls

Written by Doreen Bauer Director of the Queen Elizabeth Geriatric Centre this book provides a fascinating insight into the early running of the asylum, supplied by Brett Weinberg.

All images kindly supplied by Brett Weinberg.

The aim of the society is to help people discover their family history. To have appropriate records available, with guidance in ways to research and record their history and genealogy.

The Ballarat and District Genealogical Society Inc Incorporation Number A0022692F ABN 40 041 783 778

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Victoria's most haunted: spooky houses, hotels, asylums, prisons

Andrea Beattie and Jessica Taylor Yates

Posted October 27, 2022

Paranormal activity is said to haunt these historic locations. Are you brave enough to discover the most (allegedly) haunted places in Victoria? 

From abandoned asylums to derelict jails, eerie pubs, and spooky homesteads, armchair paranormal investigators are convinced that Victoria is home to some of the most haunted locations in the country.

Whether it’s the spirit of former owners, the sound of music with no band, or the ghosts of prisoners gone by, these are the spookiest places in Victoria for you to get your freak on.

Don’t let the journey be a nightmare. Get to these destinations using the arevo app.

Haunted places in Melbourne and Victoria

Black rock house, black rock.

A coastal retreat? Or a haunted house?

Built in 1856 for Victoria’s first Auditor-General Charles Ebden, Black Rock House was his seaside retreat, used to entertain Melbourne’s elite and built in the style of Black Rock Castle in Cork, Ireland.

But mystery has always surrounded the House, from rumoured underground tunnels to haunted cellars and even a so-called ‘death room’. It is rumoured to house up to 13 identified spirits, including Annie, a young woman who apparently ‘takes a shine’ to male guests.

These days, Friends of Black Rock House Inc. runs tours day and night, where costumed tour guides take you behind the House’s spooky history as one of the most famous haunted houses in Melbourne.

Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne

Despite being where Ned Kelly was hung, the bushranger’s ghost does not haunt the bluestone building used as a gaol from 1842-1929.

However, it’s said that some of the other 132 people who were executed in the Gaol, such as Elizabeth Scott (the first woman hanged in Victoria), can still be heard crying out in the night.

As one of Victoria’s best historical experiences , the National Trust run regular night-time ghost tours and occasional sleepovers, which at nightfall, can be creepy for those looking for a scare.

RACV members save  on tickets to the Old Melbourne Ghost Tour.

Point Cook Homestead, Point Cook

Scottish settlers Thomas Chirnside and his family moved into this homestead with adjoining stables in the 1850 – but did they ever really leave?  

Surrounded by beach and bushland, the homestead is said to be haunted by Chirnside, as well as other stable hands and lost souls, most of whom met a gruesome end. Visitors to the stables also have reported hearing racehorses that have long since passed.

The tours run for two hours, with ‘paranormal activity’ said to be at very high levels during this epic ghost story tour. You’ve been warned…

Geelong Gaol, Geelong

Built by convicts from 1849 to 1863, Geelong Gaol was the longest-running jail in Victoria, housing males, females and even children for 142 years - and is also rumoured to be one of the most haunted prisons in Victoria.

Housing murderers and other hardened prisoners from 1853 to 199, there have been reports of unexplainable cries, sudden temperature fluctuations and swirling mists - some say it’s because they’re still there.

Even if you don’t see the spirits of inmates gone by, you’ll be haunted by their stories during a guided ghost tour- if you’re brave enough.

If you visit, dress warmly at any time of year – it will literally chill you to the bone.

Aradale Lunatic Asylum and J Ward, Ararat 

Two of the most notoriously haunted locations in central Victoria are in the small town of Ararat, west of Ballarat and just an hour’s drive from the RACV Goldfields Resort.

Aradale Lunatic Asylum is an abandoned psychiatric hospital that housed patients for more than 126 years. At its height, the asylum had 900 residents, and some were subjected to all manner of barbaric treatments who may still haunt the asylum to this day.

Day tours run for two hours, but beware - some visitors have been known to ‘make contact’ with those who died in the ‘ghost town’.

Four kilometres from Aradale lies J Ward, a truly terrifying place to visit after dark.

An old goldfields jail, it opened in 1859, but was converted to a ward of Aradale Asylum when the gold ran out. But don’t be fooled - this was no ordinary ward.

Housing the most depraved and dangerous men in Victoria, with tours of the hangman’s gallows and prison burial grounds, the souls are said to be trapped within its walls.

It’s spooky enough to visit during the day, but you can also do night tours or take part in an overnight paranormal investigation – if you dare.

Mayday Hills, Beechworth

A decommissioned asylum, Mayday Hills was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria, at one stage home to more than 1200 patients and 500 staff.

Many patients died at the hospital during its 128 years of operation, including a woman who was thrown to her death from a third-storey window. Visitors say her ghost – along with others, such as the kindly Matron Sharpe – still haunts the asylum to this day.

While you can visit the grounds during the daytime, the spookiness really comes out at night. A local group runs ghost tours, and you need to join one to enter.

Railway Hotel, Dunolly

North of Victoria’s Goldfields lies the Railway Hotel, a pub built in the town of Dunolly in 1861.

Paranormal investigators take in dinner and a tour with investigate equipment to explore the mysterious appearance of a lady who is said to haunt the cellars and secret tunnels. Is it the former owner, Mrs Galsworthy? Or someone else looking for revenge?

Kangaroo Hotel, Maldon

Originally opening as a tent in the 1860s, The Kangaroo Hotel has had many trades and people through its doors, operating as a butcher, doctor, theatre, changing station, and even the town morgue.

After dinner, gather your paranormal equipment to investigate the mysterious happenings, such as spiritual visit from the ghost of previous owner John Lanyon, to the ghost of 10 horses who tragically perished in a tragic stable fire.

Princess Theatre, Melbourne

One of Melbourne’s most impressive theatres, the Princess is well known as one of the city’s most haunted locations.

In 1887, British opera singer Frederick Baker (Signor Frederick Federici) was starring in Gounod’s famous opera Faust when, in the final scene, he had a heart attack and fell right through a stage trapdoor.

His ghost is reportedly seen in the theatre at night, usually sitting in Seat B28. This seat is left unsold on opening night, with his spirited appearance said to mean good luck.

To this day, theatre staff swear they have seen him in the stalls; perhaps hoping for a role in The Phantom of the Opera.

Steiglitz, Western Victoria

Located b2 kilometres west of Melbourne, the now-historic town of Steiglitz was once a thriving gold-mining centre, with 1500 residents at its height in the 1850s. Named after the first settlers, the real-life ‘ghost town’ is home to just eight residents - who may or may not share Steiglitz with countless spirits.

Some died in the nearby river, or at the end of a fellow miner’s pick or axe. As there’s no electricity in Steiglitz at night, it gets dark… really dark.

Royal Hotel, Seymour

One of the oldest pubs in Victoria, ghost hunters should be prepared for music but no band, whispers but no people, and the cry of a baby that isn’t there.

You can head for a drink or a guided paranormal tour. If you dare to stay the night, you could try Room #5 – although it is said to be so haunted that staff won’t even enter.

Craig’s Royal Hotel, Ballarat

The former owner of this 1850s building, Walter Craig, told friends he’d dreamt his horse Nimblefoot won the 1870 Melbourne Cup - but that the jockey was wearing a black armband. Craig died before the race but, as he’d predicted, Nimblefoot won, with the jockey wearing a black armband in Craig’s honour.

If that’s not spooky enough, visit the hotel previously frequented by Sir Donald Bradman and Dame Nellie Melba.

And watch out for a man in Victorian dress – it’s said to be the ghost of Walter Craig.

Heading to a spooky location around Victoria? Make a holiday out of it and stay at an RACV Resort →

More local guides

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Best free things to do on the Mornington Peninsula

The 10 best day trips from Melbourne

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7 haunting historic hotspots in Victoria

Explore the hidden histories of your own backyard at these attractions with dark pasts

Haunted homesteads and decommissioned facilities for the criminally insane might not sound like your typical vacation destinations, but there’s a lot to be gained from traversing the more twisted parts of our collective past. In partnership with Visit Victoria as part of their Stay close, go further campaign, here are seven places you should visit to learn more about the twisted histories of our state. You might even run into some lingering spirits on your journey…

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Geelong Gaol Museum

Geelong Gaol is the longest-running gaol in Victoria, having operated from 1853 right up until 1991. Make the trip to observe first-hand the brutal conditions experienced by inmates inside this bluestone behemoth, known for once having a horrifyingly high one-in-20 death rate. The souls of those departed are said to remain onsite, including those of convicted murderers James Murphy and Yankee Tom. Join one of the ghost tours or paranormal investigations to find out for yourself.

Explore Geelong with a visit to Geelong Gallery . 

Mayday Hills

Venture up the hill overlooking Beechworth to a decommissioned psychiatric hospital that once held more than 1200 patients and 500 staff. The asylum closed back in 1995 after staying open for almost 130 years. Spend the day exploring the haunted buildings and grounds with a history tour or a photography tour, or even an escape room . At night things get even eerier, with paranormal investigations and ghost tours galore.

Drop by the famous Beechworth Bakery while you're there for a sweet snack.

Aradale Lunatic Asylum, Ararat

Next time you’re around the Grampians, stop by the Aradale Lunatic Asylum in Ararat. You’ll have the chance to walk the halls of Australia’s largest abandoned asylum, where more than 10,000 people have died during the 127 years the facility was open. Many people endured inhumane conditions and treatments here from 1867 onwards, which is why the asylum is thought to be one of the most haunted locations in the country. In particular, the asylum’s infamous J Ward has seen stints from notorious figures including Chopper Read, William Wallace and Gary Webb all completing stints in the facility. There are regular tours, or nighttime ghost tours for those who dare.

While you're in the Grampians region, check out the Balconies for an awe-inspiring view.

Ballarat Ghost Tour

This central highlands city might be known for its golden past, but what about the spooky side of Ballarat? Show up to Ballarat Railway Station after the sun goes down for an evening walk through Ballarat’s magnificent Gothic-inspired buildings, as your guide tells stories of strange happenings and the enduring Aussie spirit.

While you're in town, grab some beer and caramel bacon popcorn at Hop Temple . 

Lancefield Guesthouse

In the Spanish flu days of 1919, this former local pub was transformed into a bush hospital to help handle the pandemic. These days, Lancefield Guesthouse is a delightfully cosy bed and breakfast, but its quaint guest rooms were once surgery rooms and even a labour ward. Book a paranormal investigation experience for dinner, a sleepover and an insight into this building’s tragic past.

For something a little more lighthearted, extend your trip to include Mad Gallery and Café , which boasts books, gifts and heart-warming coffee.

This tiny mountain town in Gippsland was a hive of activity during the gold rush, but now its heritage buildings are frozen in time. Now, the town is home to only around 35 permanent residents and an unconfirmed number of spooky neighbours. Partake in a ghost tour to hear terrifying tales of local goings on past, or explore the expansive cemetery where 1,100 souls rest.

The next morning, trace the steps of miners of yesteryear with the Walhalla Tramline Walk . 

Step back in time to the gold rush era when you visit Maldon, one of Australia’s best preserved gold mining towns. Maldon’s Kangaroo Hotel has been around since 1856 and rumour has it a contingent of spooks has accumulated over the years. Take a ghost tour for a hearty dinner and an intriguing investigation.

Make the most of Maldon and surrounds with a stop at local brewery Love Shack in Castlemaine.

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Aradale Lunatic Asylum & Ballarat Ghost Tours

Experience ghostly thrills & horrific history.

Discover Australia’s phenomenal city, old cemetery, and horrific stories of the past as we visit the most haunted locations in Melbourne. Walk the halls of the Aradale Mental Hospital, where thousands of mentally ill patients wasted away and ghostly occurrences are now commonplace. Tour the Ballarat Cemetery and Ballarat Gaol, the site of the most executions in Victoria outside of Melbourne. Discover the history of the city and its most haunted locations on one of several ghost tours. Select your ghost encounter from the options below.

• Most Popular
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• Hour Glass 2 hrs , 4 hrs
• Clock 7 pm & 8 pm

Aradale Ghost Tour

Experience the bizarre history, personal stories, and brutal events that happened in the 130 years of operation at the Aradale Lunatic Asylum. Explore every section of the facilities for ghosts.

• Extended 6-Hour Tour Available
• Hour Glass 3 hrs , 6 hrs
• Clock 7:30 pm & 8 pm

Paranormal Investigations at the Aradale Lunatic Asylum

Experience premier paranormal discoveries using a wide range of state-of-the-art ghost hunting equipment and get a chance to find some evidence of the most haunted locations in Australia.

• Hour Glass 1.5 hrs
• Clock 8 - 9:30 pm

Ballarat Ghost Tour

Spend the night in the phenomenal City of Ballarat while exploring the beautiful architecture and early Australian history. Hear dark tales of local haunts and legends.

Ballarat Ghost Tours: Old Cemetery Night Tour

Explore the old Ballarat Cemetery located in the rural city of Australia and hear some disturbing stories dating back to Australia’s Gold Rush Era.

• Hour Glass 45 mins

The Ballarat Ghost Tour of Town Hall After Dark Tour

The Ballarat Town hall is not only one of the most iconic structures in Ballarat’s historic architectural landscape, it is also a building steeped in unusual and uncanny events.

• SPECIAL EVENT
• Hour Glass 5 hours
• Clock 8:30 pm - 1:30 am

Friday the 13th Tour

Wanna be REALLY creeped out on October 28th?!

• Hour Glass 90 minutes

Quarantine Station Ghost Tour

Melbourne’s original 1800’s Abandoned Quarantine Station has the reputation of being one of the most haunted locations in Australia!

Halloween Special Tour

Enjoy a spooky and extensive 5-hour ghost tour of the infamous Aradale Lunatic Asylum, led by historian and Lead Tour Guide Nathaniel Buchanan.

Exploring This Abandoned California Community Hospital Would Leave You With Nightmares

A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.

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The Linda Vista Community Hospital had a relatively short life of operation, running from 1924 to 1991. Yet in that time, the activity that went on there was strange enough to warrant paranormal investigations that continue today. With its long empty corridors and broken window panes, this abandoned hospital in California has also been the site of horror films and other productions. Learn more about this haunted building and see if you dare to visit what some consider to be perhaps the most haunted abandoned place in Southern California .

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So, if you’re ever searching for “abandoned hospitals near me,” this spooky spot is sure to appear near the top of the list!  Have you visited the abandoned Linda Vista Community Hospital? If so, what do you think? Did it send chills up your spine? Leave you with nightmares? We’d love to have you share your experiences (or encounters) in the comments section below!

If you want to continue the creepy vibes, you can always go on our abandoned places road trip in Southern California, just make sure to brush up on our road trip packing list first. And for more haunted buildings, be sure to check out the 10 Most Haunted Asylums In The U.S.

If you’re still in the mood for something creepy, check out this video about another scary place in Southern California:

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Ghostly adventures in southern california.

Are there any ghost towns in Southern California?

• Darwin – Founded in 1877 and once to 3,000 people, it eventually died out after a devastating fire in the mine in 1917.
• Ballarat – Remotely located near Death Valley, in its heyday, this 500-resident town had a school, a post office, a jail, and several saloons and hotels
• Calico – There were 500 mines and over 1,000 residents in its prime between 1883 and 1885 and was dubbed "California's Silver Rush Gold Town."

Check out more ghost towns in Southern California .

Are there other abandoned places in Southern California?

• "The Scary Dairy" - Abandoned in 1960, it is a former dairy farm where mental hospital patients worked to gain skills prior to their release.
• The Lake Delores Water Park – Originally closed in the late 1980s and experiencing a brief resurgence, it has been abandoned for many, many years.
• Decommissioned Planes – Look no further than the Mojave airport to find over 1,000 abandoned commercial airline planes.

Explore still more abandoned places in Southern California .

What can we see on ghost tours in Southern California?

• The Queen Mary – This historic ship is considered one of the top haunted places in the country.
• The Cauldron Spirits and Brews – The first part of the name is one of the focal points of this restaurant featuring a spooky, haunted theme.
• The Colorado Street Bridge – Located in Pasadena, legend has it that many suicides and other suspicious deaths have occurred here since 1912.

  Check out these ghost tours in Southern California.

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America’s Most Haunted Asylums & Hospitals

Whilst there are all sorts of haunted houses, hotels, schools, and castles throughout America, none are quite as terrifying as haunted insane asylums and hospitals.

With horrifying histories packed full of abuse, torture, sickness, and death, it’s no wonder that these ten haunted asylums are some of the scariest locations in the world.

If you want to witness a ghost hunt at some of the nations’ most haunted locations then we have started offering overnight ghost hunts !

10. Old Tooele Hospital, Utah

In 1897, Old Tooele Hospital started out as a family house. In 1913 it was transformed into what was known as the Country Poor House, where the elderly and those who had special needs were taken care of. By 1953, the building had changed once again into the Old Tooele Hospital which featured improved accommodation for patients, the added benefit of individual bathrooms and a dedicated morgue. Before it was closed down in 2001, the hospital made its name by being the filming spot for Stephen King’s The Stand.

Over the years, Old Tooele Hospital has been the site of a multitude of hauntings and various reports of paranormal activity. An Alzheimer patient known as Wes is said to haunt the hospital, with his favorite site being the room he was admitted to when he was alive. Many other ghostly characters have been sighted in the hospital, including a young child and Samuel F. Lee himself – the man who originally built the house for him and his family in 1897.

One of the most chilling reports at Old Tooele Hospital is the sound of a child’s voice uttering the words “Daddy, shot, sorry”. This is creepy enough on its own but gets even more alarming when you find out that the Utah Ghost Organisation claims these words come from the ghost of a child who was accidentally shot by his father!

9. Alton Mental Health Hospital, Illinois

Alton Mental Health Hospital is the only facility in this list which remains a functioning hospital to this day. Built in the early 1900s, this hospital is known for the harsh mistreatment of its patients, many of whom were subject to electrode shock therapy, lobotomies, and cold water treatments – all of which were standard everyday practice at this hospital.

Many people today – including staff, patients, and visitors – have reported hearing unusual noises, from doors randomly slamming shut to undecipherable whisperings. One of the creepiest reports comes from a nurse who was on duty and heard someone ask, “Who’s that?” She turned around to respond and discovered that there was no one there and no one had been in the building at the time. Later that day the exact same thing happened in the same place to a second nurse.

Since this facility is still a hospital today, tours are strictly forbidden, but people who have taken photos on site whilst visiting patients have reportedly caught images of orbs with the pained face of a human male on the front.

8. Danvers State Lunatic Asylum, Massachusetts

Often referred to today as “the Witches’ Castle on the Hill”, Danvers State Lunatic Asylum was built in 1878 on a site which was originally in Salem Village – the first actual location of the Salem Witch Trials in 1962. When it started out, Danvers was renowned for its modern treatments and superb patient care, but it wasn’t long before the asylum fell victim to lack of funding, overstaffing and over-population which caused it to deteriorate into something more akin to a concentration camp.

Between 1940 and 1950, the facility housed more than 2,000 patients in a building which was designed to house 600. Patients became haggard and ghostly, often left in complete isolation for days on end. Things were so bad that dead patients would go unnoticed for days, if not weeks. In 1992, Danvers State Lunatic Asylum was closed down, demolished and renovated into the set of apartments it is today.

Despite this haunted insane asylum being torn down and reconstructed as a different property, bizarre activity, and paranormal sightings still abound. Residents and visitors have recorded full body apparitions, flickering lights, the sound of unexplained footsteps and doors opening and closing on their own.

7. ByBerry Mental Hospital, Pennsylvania

No.7 on our list of haunted mental asylums is ByBerry Mental Hospital. ByBerry Mental Hospital first opened its doors to the public in 1907, when it started off as a working farm for the mentally ill before it became a fully-fledged mental hospital in the 1920s. As more and more people were admitted to the hospital, ByBerry’s population significantly expanded which led to severe patient neglect and unbelievable levels of abuse.

Lack of funds left the hospital in a state of disrepair, with patients being forced to survive with no clothing, insufficient food and sewage-filled hallways for bedrooms. Padded cells, solitary confinement, regular beatings, electric shock treatments, restraining devices, and lobotomies were the norm. In 1990, state authorities closed down ByBerry Mental Hospital after a thorough investigation revealed inhumane living conditions, yet its dark past continues on to this day.

A myriad of horror stories surrounds this facility. After it closed, ByBerry Mental Hospital became inundated with vagrants, gangs, thieves, satanic cults and former visitors seeking shelter. One mentally-deranged and the brutally violent patient is said to reside in the miles of catacombs beneath the building, where he lies in wait with a large knife, eager to slit the throats of curious explorers unlucky enough to cross his path.

As well as this chilling legend, the hospital has also been the spot of several paranormal sounds and sightings, including human-like growling and physical scratches appearing on visitors bodies.

6. Rolling Hills Asylum, New York

No.6 on our whirlwind tour of haunted mental institutions is Rolling Hills. Rolling Hills Asylum began life as the Genesee County Poor Farm in 1827 – a dumping ground for the outcasts of society. Here orphans and widows lived alongside the severely mentally handicapped and criminals – all of whom were known as inmates. There are more than 1,700 documented deaths, with hundreds more unclaimed bodies believed to be buried on site. In the 1950s, the poor farm was developed into the Old Country Home & Infirmary before it was transformed into a set of shops and later an antique mall.

What are the reports in this real haunted asylum? One of the strangest occurrences took place in 2007 when the Rolling Hills Case Manager, Suzie Yencer, was working on a public ghost hunt. The group was sat in a circle in the basement and as Suzie began to speak, a glow stick – the only form of light in the room – began to sway back-and-forth, a rocking horse started to move to-and-fro and several people saw a hand suddenly appear and reach for a ball.

The second-floor corridor on the east wing is commonly referred to as Shadow Hallway, due to the staggeringly high number of shadow figure sightings which walk through walls and crawl across the floor. A seven-foot-tall patient with gigantism is also commonly spotted in his room, where he spent most of his life alone.

5. Athens Lunatic Asylum, Ohio

Coming in at no.5 on our journey through the top old haunted insane asylums is The Athens Lunatic Asylum in Ohio. The Asylum opened at the beginning of 1874, specializing in the treatment of mentally and criminally insane patients who were admitted by the court or their own families. The facility originally started out as a calm and pleasant place where patients could relax and get better, but before long it became an overcrowded institution which relied on the cruel practices of electroshock therapies, ice water baths, and ice pick lobotomies.

The story of Margaret Schilling takes place in December 1978 and is just as chilling then as it is today. On this winter day, Margaret – a patient at Athens Lunatic Asylum – was playing hide and seek with the nurses who got distracted and forgot about her. In January 1979, her body was discovered by a maintenance worker. Today an imprint of her body, clothes, and hair are still clearly visible on the floor, even after decades of cleaning.

Patients who died without any family have buried anonymously at the asylum’s burial site which is reported to be haunted today. Instead of names, these gravestones display numbers, a practice which has resulted in a mass of unknown and unrecorded graves. Those who have been brave enough to explore the cemetery have reported a huge number of ghost sightings and unexplained screaming in the dead of night.

4. Essex Mountain Sanatorium, Essex County

And the next location on our tour of America’s haunted abandoned mental hospitals is the Essex Mountain Sanatorium. The sanatorium began as the Newark City Home in 1873, a facility which was designed to serve as an orphanage, as well as to reform the local badly behaved children. After a devastating fire, the reconstruction of two new buildings and the decline in the number of girls sent to the facility, the dedicated female building was transformed into Essex Mountain Sanatorium in 1906 to care for tuberculosis patients.

Over the years, the hospital grew considerably to cater for the ever-increasing number of patients, until it was no longer in use by the 1970s. The vacant wards were used to take care of the overflow of mental patients from the nearby asylum before the sanatorium finally closed its doors in 1977.

Since it closed, many people have chosen to step foot on the grounds and explore the sanatorium for themselves. Some of the most common experiences include hearing footsteps running along the halls, seeing wheelchairs moving on their own, witnessing ghost-like faces appear at the windows, feeling a presence following you and – possibly the most terrifying of them all – hearing eerie voices shouting, “Get out!”

3. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia

Constructed between 1858 and 1881, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum is up there with the scariest asylums in the world. It’s also the second largest in the world, originally designed to house up to 250 patients before it reached its peak in the 1950s when more than 2,400 people were crammed into the facility.

As the result of bizarre experimental treatments and severe neglect, thousands of people died here over the years. The physical deterioration of the building coupled with changes in the treatment of mental illness resulted in the closure of the asylum in 1994.

The reasons for being committed to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum were almost never-ending and included trivial things, such as falling from a horse or laziness to ridiculous matters, such as “imaginary female trouble” or desertion by husband up to serious cases, including murders and PSTD. This broad spectrum resulted in all sorts of mismatched patients being cooped up together, all with disastrous consequences.

Two decades since the asylum closed, the staff who work there claim that ghosts continue to roam the halls. The manager states that she once saw 40 doors suddenly slam shut simultaneously, whilst other visitors have witnessed a ghost boy stood in the corner of a room.

As well as sightings, whispers of forgotten patients have also been reported, on top of unusual smells, the sound of squeaking gurneys and screams coming from the electroshock room.

Without a doubt it’s one of the most haunted places in West Virginia .

2. Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Kentucky

Waverly Hills Sanatorium comes in at no.2. It started out as Waverly School in the late 1800s and evolved into a hospital in 1908, designed to safely accommodate between 40 and 50 tuberculosis patients. As the disease developed into an epidemic, the hospital was expanded to support at least 400 patients and was considered to be one of the best facilities at the time. In 1961, the hospital was closed down, following the discovery of a tuberculosis-curing antibiotic.

Today, Waverly Hills Sanatorium is known by many as “the most spiritually active place in the world”, with paranormal reports every single day. The terrifying reports surround the story of a nurse who hanged herself by a light bulb wire when she discovered she had become pregnant out of wedlock by the owner of the sanatorium. Many unusual sightings have also been spotted in the area known as the Death Tunnel, where dead bodies were disposed of away from the eyes of the living.

Various paranormal TV shows have spent time recording at Waverly Hills Sanatorium, including the cast of Most Haunted – one of whom had scratches inflicted upon their body during their visit.

1. Pennhurst Asylum, Pennsylvania

And lastly, the most haunted asylum on our list, Pennhurst Asylum in Pennsylvania. With a history riddled with strong accusations of neglect, abuse and torture combined with tales of mental patients being chained to the walls, children kept for years in cribs and even murders, it’s not surprising that Pennhurst Asylum is one of the scariest places in existence. The building was opened in 1908 as a state school for the physically and mentally disabled and covered 120 acres, housing more than 10,000 patients at any given time.

The facility was often accused of dehumanization and was reported to provide no help for the mentally challenged before finally being shut down in 1986, following several allegations of abuse by residents. When Pennhurst was closed, the buildings were abandoned as they were with patients’ belongings strewn about and medical equipment left to rot.

There are plenty haunted asylum stories emanating from this foreboding building. Several reputable ghost hunter groups have visited Pennhurst Asylum, where they documented spooky audio recordings, sudden changes in temperature and the unexplained movement of objects throughout the grounds. Spine-chilling recordings of voices exclaiming: “Go away!”, “I’ll kill you!” and “Why won’t you leave?” seem tame when compared to other reports which include various objects being hurled across the room, visitors being physically pushed and multiple EVPs.

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Aradale Asylum Friday the 13th Tour

Ballarat, vic.

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Enjoy a spooky and extensive 5-hour ghost tour of the infamous Aradale Lunatic Asylum.

Bring family and friends to this one-off special event you will never forget.

• 5-hour tour

Aradale is Australia's largest abandoned lunatic asylum. Opened in 1867 as Ararat Lunatic Asylum, this building housed tens of thousands of people described as "lunatics", "idiots" and "imbeciles" - some of them described as the worst lunatics in the British Empire.

Completed 40 years before Freud, this building saw some of the most controversial psychiatric treatments in Australia. Around 13,000 people passed away here in its 130 years. As a result, Aradale is considered one of the most haunted locations in Australia.

At its height, Aradale consisted of 68 buildings and was home to over 2000 patients and staff, making it a self-sufficient town.

And now, for the first time, Aradale's doors have opened for explorations. Do you have what it takes to explore one of Australia's eeriest buildings?

All prices, availability and tour and product information are subject to change without notification, and while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the prices, availability and tour and product information displayed on this website they are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Ghost Tour Bookings is not a provider of tours, experiences or products and has no responsibility for any tours, experiences or products provided or not provided by the tour operator, supplier or any other party. The tour operators and suppliers provide services and products directly to customers.

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Ballarat: australia's most haunted town.

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A tour of Ballarat, in Victoria, can be a real scream. Photo / Getty Images

A full moon peeps out from behind the clouds as we arrive under the clock tower at Ballarat train station.

A bespectacled man with a top hat and mutton-chop sideburns awaits our arrival.

"If you'd like to follow me to somewhere more isolated," he says in a menacing tone.

There is a chill in the air and the crowd of 24 are rugged up and ready to explore "Australia's most haunted city".

Our guide, Benjamin, appears to have freshly arrived from a Dickens novel, with fingerless gloves and a posh English twang.

He leads us away from the station and tells us to "mind the shallow grave" as we step over a speed-bump in the station car park.

We follow him down a narrow cobbled walkway and into a damp, pitch-black basement beneath Reid's Guest House .

In complete darkness, the goosebumps and neck hairs rise as we hear about the unexplained ghostly experiences others have witnessed.

It's an old bakery and people have smelled freshly baked bread and seen a woman wearing an apron covered in flour.

With the click of a torch, he illuminates the old baker's oven that hasn't been used for more than a century.

In this part of Ballarat, the street level has been raised and many old buildings are now underground, with their ghostly inhabitants under foot as you dine and sleep.

In the 1970s, the flour lady is rumoured to have floated through the floor of the guest house above, scaring a man who was about to commit suicide with a shotgun.

I was at the back of the group and turned around every few seconds hoping the ghost of a disgruntled baker wasn't standing behind me.

Once we ascend to street level, we begin a comical meander through the quiet streets of Ballarat.

Benjamin tips his top hat to the townspeople, who stare back at him in bewilderment.

Another stop on the tour is the 1850s building that now houses Fu Man Lou dumpling restaurant — our destination for lunch earlier that day.

It was — so the story goes — once haunted by a disgruntled poltergeist.

The spectre caused lights to flick on and glasses to appear on the cleared bar when the building housed Jack's Restaurant.

Most disturbingly, a waitress who returned from the building's basement with scratches on her face had no recollection of being there.

We pop in and out of dark alleys, hearing of ghostly prostitutes, haunted town hall councillors and a broken-hearted woman who slashed her wrists and is often heard screaming in the old bank building. She has also been seen in the window overlooking the street.

Benjamin never falls out of character — for almost two hours.

We pass churches and Freemasons' halls and gain a real understanding of the history behind this beautiful gold-rush city; there's not much about Ballarat that he doesn't know.

The last stop is at Ballarat's old jail, and Benjamin heaves open the heavy iron gates and ushers the crowd inside.

The courtyard is dimly lit and his booming voice reverberates around the space. There are at least five convicts buried under our feet, all facing east so they might never rest.

Although often more funny than frightening, the tour is still highly entertaining, and for those who aren't Ballarat history buffs, it fills in a lot of gaps.

But a word of warning, Benjamin likes to scream at random, so be prepared for a few heart-stopping moments.

Getting there: Qantas flies daily from Auckland to Melbourne. Ballarat is 115km from Melbourne and takes about 75 mins by car. There are regular trains leaving from Southern Cross station in Melbourne.

Accommodation: Braeside Garden Cottages offers two self-contained cottages set among beautiful gardens. A double spa, antique queen-size bed and cosy log pot belly stove is provided in each cottage.

Ararat Motor Inn offers affordable family rooms with a 10 per cent discount when booked with some ghost tours.

Further information: Eerie Tours offers ghostly walking tours through Ballarat's Victorian city streets to discover the fascinating history of Australia's most haunted city.

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Things to Do in Elektrostal, Russia - Elektrostal Attractions

Things to do in elektrostal.

• Traveler favorites Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
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• Good for Kids
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• Honeymoon spot
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1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

2. Statue of Lenin

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

5. Museum of Labor Glory

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar.

• Statue of Lenin
• Electrostal History and Art Museum
• Park of Culture and Leisure
• Museum and Exhibition Center
• Museum of Labor Glory

Elektrostal Attractions Information